The Ministry of Education of Kyrgyzstan has confirmed that the issue of mass dismissal of teachers of retirement age is not under consideration. The statement was made by the ministry in response to reports circulating on social media.
New approaches to drawing on teachers' experience
Instead of a dismissal policy, the ministry is studying various mechanisms aimed at involving experienced teachers in the educational process. According to the ministry, about 15,000 teachers of retirement age currently work in the country's educational institutions.
- The possibility of involving older-generation teachers in mentoring is under study.
- Methodological support for young teachers is being considered.
- Work as teacher assistants and consultants is planned.
- The introduction of flexible teaching workloads and other forms of employment is being discussed.
The ministry also stressed that it does not and does not plan to pursue a discriminatory policy toward teachers on the basis of age. It noted that after teachers' salaries were raised in Kyrgyzstan, interest in working in educational institutions has grown, including among young specialists.
Decision-making process
The ministry specified that any changes in personnel policy will be discussed with the participation of the entire teaching community, trade unions and experts. Final decisions on all proposals require further study, taking into account current legislation and the interests of teachers.
